We’ve seen some great hacks with the Wii controllers since the console first arrived, and things could get even easier if Todbot has his way. He’s launched the WiiChuck, a tiny plug-in board that slots into the plug of the Wii Nunchuck, and allows you to access all of the controller’s connections – its 2-axis joystick, two buttons and 3-axis ±2g accelerometer – without needing to cut any of the cables.
One of the regular complaints about the Sony PSP is its lack of dual analog sticks. Rather than berate Sony about it, however, one enterprising gamer over at AcidMods hacked together a workaround, connecting a DualShock 2 controller to his PSP.
Video demo after the cut
Official support for tethering is still one feature conspicuous by its absence from the Palm Pre’s abilities, and the last we heard Palm were cautioning tweakers not to unofficially enable it lest Sprint get upset. If, though, the promise of sharing all that EVDO Rev.A goodness is just too good to miss, and you fancy some MiFi-style WiFi hotspot action, then homebrew app My Tether is the answer.
Video demo after the cut
Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage team have responded to this week’s news that a Windows 7 Ultimate licensing hack had been identified. After a Lenovo OEM Windows 7 image leaked and was used to extract a license key, Microsoft have worked with the manufacturer to blacklist the rogue key and replace it – on genuine Lenovo PCs bought with the new OS – with a working version.
Microsoft’s licensing system for Windows 7 has been cracked, using a leaked copy of a Lenovo OEM DVD ISO from which the product key and OEM certificate were extracted. The exploit is apparently sufficient to pass Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation, meaning that anybody with sufficient technical knowledge to implement the hack can get themselves a working copy of Windows 7 Ultimate months before the OS is officially launched.
Standalone Twitter displays aren’t anything new, but we’re particularly enamored of David Nichols’ Tweetster. Whether it’s the open-air aesthetic, the laser-cut wooden parts or the fact that it reminds us of a flashing, Twitter-blurting sleigh, we don’t know, but we’ve the OpenWRT project and an ASUS Wireless Router WL-520-GU to thank for the functionality.
Netbooks generally fall flat when it comes to high-definition video playback, with Intel’s GMA 950 graphics chipset struggling even with 720p clips. Broadcom’s BCM70012 video accelerator changes all that, though; a mini PCI-e card, it can handle up to 1080p video with minimal CPU strain on the host system. So far it’s tough finding a netbook with the Broadcom card as an option – HP offer it as an option for their Mini 110 XP – but that didn’t stop Terracode from upgrading their 8.9-inch Acer Aspire One with the HD accelerator.
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Has the HTC Hero’s moment in the spotlight been short-lived? Google have released an early development build for Android OS 2.0 Donut, the follow-up to OS 1.5 Cupcake which debuted alongside the HTC Magic, and with it delivered the promise of multitouch support, CMDA and similar homescreen control widgets to those found in HTC Sense.
An acoustic instrument bristling with buttons and knobs is always off to a good start, but Patrick Sébastien Coulombe’s “la Guitare à crayon” goes a few steps further into strangeness. Taking the body of an acoustic guitar and then strapping a Wacom digitizer to the front, the unusual instrument translates sketched images into sound.
Video demo after the cut
A regular complaint over at Instructables is that not everybody can afford their own laser cutting rig. If DK Ahn has his way, however, precision cutting – of at least paper, wood and polypropylene under 2mm thick – would be available to the mainstream, thanks to his MOW microfactory.
Video demo after the cut
SlashGear Japan
